It’s quite an amusing read, is Robert Christgau’s piece in the Village Voice. In it, he fairly begs for the rise of a “protest movement” that would both validate his hawkishness regarding the war on terror and simultaneously protect his self image as a squishy champion of progressive politics (“progressivism” — sorry, Snoopy — means always having to say you’re sorry). This essay is the ultimate in self-serving twaddle, of

The Brits are selling off (and in some cases, pulping) library books in order to diversify their holdings, according to this Spectator piece by Julia Lewis. Madness? Certainly. Listen: David Blunkett has just called for immigrants to learn English and make an effort to integrate themselves into the life and customs of this country. If he wants them to get to know our culture and if he wants English to

The Brits are selling off (and in some cases, pulping) library books in order to diversify their holdings, according to this Spectator piece by Julia Lewis. Madness? Certainly. Listen: David Blunkett has just called for immigrants to learn English and make an effort to integrate themselves into the life and customs of this country. If he wants them to get to know our culture and if he wants English to

Mickey Kaus can be both remarkably sharp and annoyingly thickheaded, depending on which day you happen to be reading him. His stuff on the connection between Islamofascism and the Lefty-promoted dole, for instance, is meaty and instructive — while his continued attempts at forcing a meaningful connection between Binny’s videotaped propo-gripes and the Israel / Palestinian conflict are disturbing — and incredibly shortsighted, to boot. Kaus keeps acting as if

Hey, I like Joanne Jacobs, I really do. Her writing is sharp and funny and shamelessly self-promotional — the very spices that flavor the finest blog-omelets. So, if you’ve a few moments to kill, do as Instapundit suggests and go read JJ’s take on why Geraldo is a liar. But don’t believe it, not even for a second. (Okay, believe it if you must. But then strike it from your

If you haven’t yet done so, I urge you to read Mark Steyn’s Spectator essay, “War Between America and Europe.” Steyn’s writing and insight have been nothing short of remarkable since 9/11; in this essay, he’s particularly stunning. I intend to write more on this piece later, when I’ve better composed myself. Truth is, I’m enormously saddened by what the essay reveals about elite European “thinking,” and I need to

If you haven’t yet done so, I urge you to read Mark Steyn’s Spectator essay, “War Between America and Europe.” Steyn’s writing and insight have been nothing short of remarkable since 9/11; in this essay, he’s particularly stunning. I intend to write more on this piece later, when I’ve better composed myself. Truth is, I’m enormously saddened by what the essay reveals about elite European “thinking,” and I need to

Good back and forth happening between Walter on Samizdata and AintNoBadDude’s Brian Linse, over the so-called gun show loophole. Walter talks of private transactions and personal liberty; Brian responds with anecdotes about deliberate circumventions of the law; and he raises questions about the morality of Walter’s selling his own sister for $50. [update: Perry of LS responds]

Good back and forth happening between Walter on Samizdata and AintNoBadDude’s Brian Linse, over the so-called gun show loophole. Walter talks of private transactions and personal liberty; Brian responds with anecdotes about deliberate circumventions of the law; and he raises questions about the morality of Walter’s selling his own sister for $50. [update: Perry of LS responds]

The Cornell Review notes it is now Ithaca City School District (ICSD) policy to school local youngsters in a ‘politically correct orthodoxy whose sole commandment is Thou Shalt Not Offend.’ The Ithaca City School District has recently mandated that elementary school students in the first and second grades receive an actual grade on how well they “respect others of varying cultures, genders, experiences, and abilities.” Now, six-year-old Johnny can get